301 vs 302 redirects: what's the difference?
TL;DR
A 301 is a permanent redirect — it tells search and AI engines the page moved for good and passes its ranking value to the new URL. A 302 is temporary — the original is coming back, so engines keep it indexed. Use 301 unless the move is genuinely temporary.
What it is
A redirect sends anyone who visits an old URL — a person or a crawler — to a different one. The redirect's status code tells them why: 301 means "moved permanently," 302 means "moved temporarily."
Think of mail forwarding. A 301 is a permanent change of address: the post office updates its records and everyone learns the new one. A 302 is a "I'm away for a month" hold: keep my old address on file, I'll be back.
Why it matters
- SEO value follows a 301. A permanent redirect consolidates the old page's link equity and rankings onto the new URL. Use a 302 for a permanent move and that value can be left stranded on a URL you've abandoned.
- Indexing stays correct. Engines drop the old URL and index the new one after a 301; after a 302 they keep the original — which is what you want only if it really is coming back.
- AI follows redirects too. Answer engines and AI crawlers follow the same codes — the right one keeps your authority and citations pointed at the live page.
When to use each
- 301 (permanent): a page moved for good, you merged or retired a page, or you're fixing a broken URL to its new home.
- 302 (temporary): an A/B test, a short promo, or maintenance where the original URL will return.
Where you set them up
Redirects belong with whoever serves your pages, and every major platform already handles them: Shopify has URL redirects under Navigation, Wix has URL redirect manager, WordPress has a redirect plugin or your server config, and Cloudflare has Bulk Redirects and Redirect Rules. MetaPilot deliberately does not add a competing layer.
What MetaPilot does care about is the result: when one of your pages redirects, we follow it and publish the metadata on the address that actually serves, so nothing lands on a URL you retired.
FAQ
Which should I use by default?
301. Most redirects are permanent, and 301 is what passes SEO value — reach for 302 only when the original URL is genuinely coming back.
Do redirects hurt SEO?
A clean 301 preserves value. What hurts is redirect chains (A→B→C) and loops — keep them direct.
How is a redirect different from a 404?
A 404 says "this page doesn't exist"; a redirect says "it's over here now" and sends the visitor onward.
What about 307 and 308?
They're stricter modern equivalents (308 permanent, 307 temporary) that also preserve the request method. For everyday page moves, 301 and 302 are what you'll use.
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